Afib and thumping

Hello Pacemaker Club,
I am a 57 year old female who had her pacemaker put in January of this year after feeling bad for the past three years (and begging my physician to help me). I finally had a NP put a monitor on and the rest is history.
I have not been back to my cardiologist since then (insurance I guess makes me wait four months), and I have a question about the afib feeling I have of thumping in my chest when I am in afib. I am not talking about the pulse, I am speaking of the feeling of the afib bouncing off the pacemaker? I don't know how to describe it but I am hoping there are others out there who know what I am feeling.
I am certain that I have had this all my life now that I look back on everything; still not able to sing in the car, still feel slightly strange in the car while driving long distances, that the oxygen or respiration is not quite right even though I am much improved of the way I would feel when pulse was very low before January.
I am still unsure if I will ever get over this, although thankful for my pacemaker. I don't mean that I am upset about the pacemaker, I mean the afib and the 7 drugs I am on, and the whole thing. I honestly considered myself a very healthy person and now I am not so sure.

Thank you and I hope everyone is doing AOK!
Sincerely,
Scout

3 Comments

Get Back to the Cardiologist

by NiceNiecey - 2014-04-21 11:04:57

Hi Scout.
I am shocked that you haven't been checked by your cardiologist since you got your PM. I thought you were from the UK or India but no, you're from right here in Indiana! Crazy.

My advice: make an appointment and ask to get right in. I have aFib too but I don't know when it's happening so I don't understand the "bouncing off the pacemaker" comment. If you ARE experiencing aFib, they're going to do something about it, lest you have a stroke or heart attack.

Did they give you a PM "box" that plugs into a landline so you can "offload" your PM report? If they did, do a transmission, then call and ask what it showed. It records all episodes of aFib, even it was just 5 seconds.

It sounds like you need an adjustment so be sure to tell your cardiologist that you are having trouble singing, etc. I am just shocked they've let you go this long without a follow-up meeting. Get your questions ready!
Niecey

Thank you

by Scout - 2014-04-22 10:04:07

Dear Nice Niecey and Kmom,
Hello and thank you both for your responses. I just got off the phone with the cardiologist's office and I have an appointment this Thursday at 9:00 AM.
I have been making a sheet of questions - We did see them on Valentines Day (pacer put in on 1/29), but honestly we were both still in shock about the whole thing. I obviously don't mean real shock.
Kmom, thank you for telling me you know what the thumping feeling is!
I do have the monitor by my bed, thank God. I did feel really bad about a month or so ago and I pressed the button to record it. They didn't contact me, but thankfully even with the symptoms I am continuing to have I feel better than I did then.
I am working now - have to go - I work at a university - I will be in touch.
Thank you again, Scout

a-fib

by kmom - 2014-04-22 12:04:05

I''m dealing with a-fib myself as well. and I can usually tell when it happens although I don't feel it bouncing off PM. I guess lucky for me it doesn't make my heart beat THAT fast I think due to my propafenone that I take. however I can feel the fluttering and thumping when it's happening. I'm hoping soon they can get this under control which they are working on now that I've got my PM. I would at least check with your Dr. on this. I had my first follow up at 1 week with the device clinic then have my 6 week coming up towards the end of May. Good luck and keep us posted. As far as the PM for me --I feel a TON better! so glad I was able to get it right after I was finally Dxed with SSS. it truly has made a world of difference to me.

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Member Quotes

So, my advice is to go about your daily routine and forget that you have a pacemaker implanted in your body.